[goodvibes]

I have a lot of experience with expensive DACs and have generally been a fan of ladder DACs in the past, which this is not but I've heard the CMA 12 in a few familiar setups and compares now and prefer it or at least like it as much as anything I've heard. That including all the Chord DACs, the ladders from Asia and some expensive pro units I've experienced and that's just as a DAC line out. That it works well with PCs and headphones is just icing on that cake.

What I'd change? Would be nice to have 2 coax in (as opposed to just one) and for that added one to be a BNC connection. That's about it. Sometimes good companies also get lucky with how all the voicing and res ducks line up in a row and you can't beat lucky and good. I know some will want the latest and the greatest chip set (AKM4490) but they'd be fooling themselves. Implementation and voicing here is remarkable. I don't see this being superseded anytime soon.

Thought I'd start a thread on it because I didn't see one and I know there have to be fans here.

 

[Mightygrey]

It's a stellar product, I just wish it accepted an analogue input so that you aren't limited to using the internal DAC. I'd love to pair it with my Bifrost 2 or my turntable.

 

[Uguccione]

I've had it for about two months; I have mixed feelings towards this machine because I find it cold and not very musical, yet online I only read frantic praise. I really don't know what to think. By heart the Burson Play (with all Vivid 6 opamps) that I had previously sounded more musical and lush.

 

[goodvibes]

I've had it for about two months; I have mixed feelings towards this machine because I find it cold and not very musical, yet online I only read frantic praise. I really don't know what to think. By heart the Burson Play (with all Vivid 6 opamps) that I had previously sounded more musical and lush.

Are you sure it's the M12 and not the cheaper one? That one is still great for the money but not as textured or full as the CMA12. I suspect you have the dreaded interface situation where you've voiced something to match something else (warm for lean etc) and have now plugged something more balanced into the setup. It happens to the best of us.

 

[Muataz]

Having a short signal path from dac to amp always ideal compare to a separate solutions. but it is not common and only Questyle doing good stuff.

 

[Uguccione]

Are you sure it's the M12 and not the cheaper one?

It's the smooth CMA Twelve, not the gassed one (Master).
I did not understand the rest of your speech, I do not speak English and with the automatic translator I was unable to understand the meaning of what you meant.

However yesterday - suddenly - the light. I plugged in the HD-800s I just bought used and love blossomed. A dac / amp, which until now had left me rather chilly, is reborn paired with the Sennheiser 800 (without S). It sounds like an amplifier designed with the 800 in mind.
I was already thinking about replacing it, but now ....

 

[devilboy]

I just purchased a CMA Twelve Master. It should be here next week from Audio 46.
I heard great things so I took the plunge.

 

[devilboy]

It's the smooth CMA Twelve, not the gassed one (Master).
I did not understand the rest of your speech, I do not speak English and with the automatic translator I was unable to understand the meaning of what you meant.

However yesterday - suddenly - the light. I plugged in the HD-800s I just bought used and love blossomed. A dac / amp, which until now had left me rather chilly, is reborn paired with the Sennheiser 800 (without S). It sounds like an amplifier designed with the 800 in mind.
I was already thinking about replacing it, but now ....

Are you saying the regular twelve is "smoother" then the Master?

 

[devilboy]

New clear top.